Margaret Hedley is an experienced and reliable researcher with over 30 years of experience and knowledge of the Durham area.
She is passionate about local and family history, this and an excellent knowledge of local repositories makes her the number one choice in County Durham for your family history research.
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My new book called “Women of the Durham coalfield in the 19th century, Hannah’s story” is available at all good booksellers or at amazon.co.uk in both paperback and kindle formats.
The book is the bringing together of family and local history which illustrates the daily struggles of women married to coal miners in the Durham coalfield., and tells the story of my great great grandmother.
My new book follows the fortunes of Hannah’s coal mining family into the 20th Century is available at amazon.co.uk in both kindle and book formats.
Once again the daily struggles of women are highlighted as they deal with a range of domestic problems and a World War.
The Second World War took its toll on every part of society. The appeal for women to work outside the home in the many ammunition factories supporting the war effort was taken up by many women throughout the colliery villages. They worked for eight hours a day at the factory, taking up their caregiving and home-making roles when they returned home. Their days continued to be longer and more strenuous.
After the war, the government introduced a series of initiatives intended to improve the lives of the nation. A reformed education system was introduced in 1944, nationalisation in 1947 and a national health service in 1948. At last things were looking up for coal-mining families.
At the edge of this bright new horizon, little did Hannah’s female descendants realise that they would come to represent the last generation of women of the Durham coalfield.
The foreword is by Hillary Clinton, who said she hoped Mrs Hedley’s books would inspire historians to document the daily lives “not just of men… but of the women living quieter but just as important lives alongside them”. – the full article can be found at BBC News
Last Women of the Durham Coalfield – Hannah’s grand-daughter is available from local stockists and amazon.co.uk
